With this fourth edition of A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, author Richard Jackson Harris continues his examination of how our experiences with media affect the way we acquire knowledge about the world, and how this knowledge creates consequences for attitudes and behavior. Presenting theories from psychology and communication along with reviews of the corresponding research, this text covers a wide variety of media and media issues, ranging from the commonly discussed topics--sex, violence, advertising--to less-studied topics, such as values, sports, and entertainment education. New chapters for the fourth edition cover:

*children and media, examining children's prosocial television, advertising to children, and media literacy;

*values and prosocial media, including family values, religion, social marketing, and entertainment-education programming; and

*emotional media, including the effects of sports and music.

New and updated material includes:

*today's popular television shows;

*the widespread use of the Internet;

*changes brought about by telecommunications technology;

*advertising on the Internet, in classrooms, and other unconventional places;

*press coverage of the 2000 U.S. Presidential election and its aftermath;

*stereotyping of mental illness and therapists;

*male body-image media issues;

*music, reflecting its increasing popularity and influence; and

*effects of playing violent video games.

An engaging, readable, and highly successful text, this classroom resource serves as an invaluable guide to the influences of media for courses on media and psychology, and media effects and processes.

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